Dohas of Kabir

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बुरा जो देखन मैं चला, बुरा न मिलिया कोय। जो मन खोजा आपना, मुझसे बुरा न कोय॥ पोथी पढ़ि पढ़ि जग मुआ, पंडित भया न कोय। ढाई आखर प्रेम का, पढ़े सो पंडित होय॥ दुःख में सुमिरन सब करे, सुख में करे न कोय। जो सुख में सुमिरन करे, दुःख काहे को होय॥ चलती चक्की देख के, दिया कबीरा रोय। दो पाटन के बीच में, साबुत बचा न कोय॥ बड़ा हुआ तो क्या हुआ, जैसे पेड़ खजूर। पंथी को छाया नहीं, फल लागे अति दूर॥ काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब। पल में प्रलय होएगी, बहुरि करेगो कब॥ गुरु गोविन्द दोऊ खड़े, काके लागूँ पाय। बलिहारी गुरु आपने, गोविन्द दियो बताय॥ ऐसी वाणी बोलिए, मन का आपा खोय। औरन को शीतल करे, आपहुँ शीतल होय॥ जाति न पूछो साधु की, पूछ लीजिए ज्ञान। मोल करो तलवार का, पड़ा रहन दो म्यान॥ धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय। माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ऋतु आए फल होय॥ तिनका कबहुँ न निन्दिए, जो पाँवन तर होय। कबहुँ उड़ि आँखिन पड़े, तो पीर घनेरी होय॥ साईं इतना दीजिए, जा मे कुटुम समाय। मैं भी भूखा न रहूँ, साधु न भूखा जाय॥ माटी कहे कुम्हार से, तू क्या रौंदे मोय। एक दिन ऐसा आएगा, मैं रौंदूँगी तोय॥ निंदक नियरे राखिए, आँगन कुटी छवाय। बिन पानी साबुन बिना, निर्मल करे सुभाय॥ माया मरी न मन मरा, मर-मर गए शरीर। आशा तृष्णा न मरी, कह गए दास कबीर॥

Transliteration

burā jo dekhan maiṁ calā, burā na miliyā koy. jo man khojā āpnā, mujhse burā na koy. pothī paḍhi paḍhi jag muā, paṇḍit bhayā na koy. ḍhāī ākhar prem kā, paḍhe so paṇḍit hoy. duḥkh meṁ sumiran sab kare, sukh meṁ kare na koy. jo sukh meṁ sumiran kare, duḥkh kāhe ko hoy. caltī cakkī dekh ke, diyā kabīrā roy. do pāṭan ke bīc meṁ, sābut bacā na koy. baḍā huā to kyā huā, jaise peḍ khajūr. panthī ko chāyā nahīṁ, phal lāge ati dūr. kāl kare so āj kar, āj kare so ab. pal meṁ pralay hoegī, bahuri karego kab. guru govind doū khaḍe, kāke lāgūṁ pāy. balihārī guru āpne, govind diyo batāy. aisī vāṇī boliye, man kā āpā khoy. auran ko śītal kare, āpahūṁ śītal hoy. jāti na pūcho sādhu kī, pūch lījiye jñān. mol karo talvār kā, paḍā rahan do myān. dhīre-dhīre re manā, dhīre sab kuch hoy. mālī sīṁce sau ghaḍā, ṛtu āe phal hoy. tinkā kabahūṁ na nindiye, jo pāṁvan tar hoy. kabahūṁ uḍi āṁkhin paḍe, to pīr ghanerī hoy. sāīṁ itnā dījiye, jā me kuṭum samāy. maiṁ bhī bhūkhā na rahūṁ, sādhu na bhūkhā jāy. māṭī kahe kumhār se, tū kyā raunde moy. ek din aisā āegā, maiṁ raundūṁgī toy. nindak niyare rākhiye, āṁgan kuṭī chavāy. bin pānī sābun binā, nirmal kare subhāy. māyā marī na man marā, mar-mar gae śarīr. āśā tṛṣṇā na marī, kah gae dās kabīr.

Translation

When I went out looking for evil in the world, I found none. When I searched within my own mind, I found no one worse than myself. That is, before looking for faults in others, one should look within. People have died reading volumes upon volumes, yet none became truly wise. One who learns the two-and-a-half letters of love (prem) becomes the true scholar. In sorrow, everyone remembers God; in happiness, no one does. If one remembers God in happiness too, why would sorrow ever come? Seeing the grinding stones of the mill, Kabir weeps. No grain remains whole between the two stones. Similarly, no one remains unscathed between the two grinding stones of the world (joy and sorrow, birth and death). What good is being great, like the date palm tree? It gives no shade to the traveler, and its fruits hang far out of reach. True greatness lies in being of use to others. What you plan for tomorrow, do today; what you plan for today, do now. Destruction can come in a moment — when will you do it then? Never postpone a good deed. Both the Guru and God stand before me — whose feet should I touch first? I bow to my Guru, for it is the Guru who showed me the way to God. Speak such words that are free of ego. Words that soothe others will bring peace to yourself as well. Do not ask the caste of a sage — ask about their wisdom. Value the sword, not the sheath. What matters is quality and knowledge, not birth. Be patient, O mind — everything happens slowly. The gardener may water with a hundred pots, but the fruit comes only in its season. Have patience; everything happens at its own appointed time. Never belittle even a straw that lies beneath your feet. If that same straw were to fly into your eye, it would cause great pain. Never look down upon anyone, however small or insignificant. O Lord, give me just enough to sustain my family. Let me not go hungry, and let no holy man (guest) leave my door unfed. The clay says to the potter: why do you trample me? A day will come when I will trample you (after death, you too will return to the earth). Keep your critic close — build them a hut in your courtyard. Without water or soap, they cleanse your character and nature. Neither illusion died, nor did the mind — only bodies kept dying again and again. Kabir says: hope and craving never die.

बुरा जो देखन मैं चला, बुरा न मिलिया कोय। जो मन खोजा आपना, मुझसे बुरा न कोय॥

Transliteration

burā jo dekhan maiṁ calā, burā na miliyā koy. jo man khojā āpnā, mujhse burā na koy.

Translation

Word by Word

देखन to see, to look for

मन खोजा searched the mind

पोथी पढ़ि पढ़ि जग मुआ, पंडित भया न कोय। ढाई आखर प्रेम का, पढ़े सो पंडित होय॥

Transliteration

pothī paḍhi paḍhi jag muā, paṇḍit bhayā na koy. ḍhāī ākhar prem kā, paḍhe so paṇḍit hoy.

Translation

People have died reading volumes upon volumes, yet none became truly wise. One who learns the two-and-a-half letters of love (prem) becomes the true scholar.

Word by Word

पोथी book, scripture

ढाई आखर two-and-a-half letters (the Hindi word 'prem' has two-and-a-half characters)

पंडित scholar, wise person

दुःख में सुमिरन सब करे, सुख में करे न कोय। जो सुख में सुमिरन करे, दुःख काहे को होय॥

Transliteration

duḥkh meṁ sumiran sab kare, sukh meṁ kare na koy. jo sukh meṁ sumiran kare, duḥkh kāhe ko hoy.

Translation

In sorrow, everyone remembers God; in happiness, no one does. If one remembers God in happiness too, why would sorrow ever come?

Word by Word

सुमिरन remembrance, recollection (of God)

काहे को why, for what reason

चलती चक्की देख के, दिया कबीरा रोय। दो पाटन के बीच में, साबुत बचा न कोय॥

Transliteration

caltī cakkī dekh ke, diyā kabīrā roy. do pāṭan ke bīc meṁ, sābut bacā na koy.

Translation

Seeing the grinding stones of the mill, Kabir weeps. No grain remains whole between the two stones. Similarly, no one remains unscathed between the two grinding stones of the world (joy and sorrow, birth and death).

Word by Word

चक्की grinding mill

पाटन the two stone slabs of a mill

साबुत whole, intact, unbroken

बड़ा हुआ तो क्या हुआ, जैसे पेड़ खजूर। पंथी को छाया नहीं, फल लागे अति दूर॥

Transliteration

baḍā huā to kyā huā, jaise peḍ khajūr. panthī ko chāyā nahīṁ, phal lāge ati dūr.

Translation

What good is being great, like the date palm tree? It gives no shade to the traveler, and its fruits hang far out of reach. True greatness lies in being of use to others.

Word by Word

पंथी traveler, wayfarer

खजूर date palm tree

काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब। पल में प्रलय होएगी, बहुरि करेगो कब॥

Transliteration

kāl kare so āj kar, āj kare so ab. pal meṁ pralay hoegī, bahuri karego kab.

Translation

What you plan for tomorrow, do today; what you plan for today, do now. Destruction can come in a moment — when will you do it then? Never postpone a good deed.

Word by Word

काल tomorrow, future time

प्रलय destruction, death, end

बहुरि again, once more

गुरु गोविन्द दोऊ खड़े, काके लागूँ पाय। बलिहारी गुरु आपने, गोविन्द दियो बताय॥

Transliteration

guru govind doū khaḍe, kāke lāgūṁ pāy. balihārī guru āpne, govind diyo batāy.

Translation

Both the Guru and God stand before me — whose feet should I touch first? I bow to my Guru, for it is the Guru who showed me the way to God.

Word by Word

गोविन्द God, the Lord

बलिहारी sacrifice, devoted to

लागूँ पाय touch the feet (show reverence)

ऐसी वाणी बोलिए, मन का आपा खोय। औरन को शीतल करे, आपहुँ शीतल होय॥

Transliteration

aisī vāṇī boliye, man kā āpā khoy. auran ko śītal kare, āpahūṁ śītal hoy.

Translation

Speak such words that are free of ego. Words that soothe others will bring peace to yourself as well.

Word by Word

वाणी speech, words

आपा ego, pride

शीतल cool, soothing, peaceful

जाति न पूछो साधु की, पूछ लीजिए ज्ञान। मोल करो तलवार का, पड़ा रहन दो म्यान॥

Transliteration

jāti na pūcho sādhu kī, pūch lījiye jñān. mol karo talvār kā, paḍā rahan do myān.

Translation

Do not ask the caste of a sage — ask about their wisdom. Value the sword, not the sheath. What matters is quality and knowledge, not birth.

Word by Word

साधु saint, virtuous person

मोल value, price

म्यान sheath, scabbard

धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय। माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ऋतु आए फल होय॥

Transliteration

dhīre-dhīre re manā, dhīre sab kuch hoy. mālī sīṁce sau ghaḍā, ṛtu āe phal hoy.

Translation

Be patient, O mind — everything happens slowly. The gardener may water with a hundred pots, but the fruit comes only in its season. Have patience; everything happens at its own appointed time.

Word by Word

मना O mind

सींचे to water, to irrigate

ऋतु season, proper time

तिनका कबहुँ न निन्दिए, जो पाँवन तर होय। कबहुँ उड़ि आँखिन पड़े, तो पीर घनेरी होय॥

Transliteration

tinkā kabahūṁ na nindiye, jo pāṁvan tar hoy. kabahūṁ uḍi āṁkhin paḍe, to pīr ghanerī hoy.

Translation

Never belittle even a straw that lies beneath your feet. If that same straw were to fly into your eye, it would cause great pain. Never look down upon anyone, however small or insignificant.

Word by Word

तिनका a straw, a blade of grass

निन्दिए to belittle, to scorn

पीर pain, suffering

साईं इतना दीजिए, जा मे कुटुम समाय। मैं भी भूखा न रहूँ, साधु न भूखा जाय॥

Transliteration

sāīṁ itnā dījiye, jā me kuṭum samāy. maiṁ bhī bhūkhā na rahūṁ, sādhu na bhūkhā jāy.

Translation

O Lord, give me just enough to sustain my family. Let me not go hungry, and let no holy man (guest) leave my door unfed.

Word by Word

साईं Lord, God, Master

कुटुम family, household

माटी कहे कुम्हार से, तू क्या रौंदे मोय। एक दिन ऐसा आएगा, मैं रौंदूँगी तोय॥

Transliteration

māṭī kahe kumhār se, tū kyā raunde moy. ek din aisā āegā, maiṁ raundūṁgī toy.

Translation

The clay says to the potter: why do you trample me? A day will come when I will trample you (after death, you too will return to the earth).

Word by Word

माटी clay, earth, soil

कुम्हार potter

रौंदे to trample, to tread upon

निंदक नियरे राखिए, आँगन कुटी छवाय। बिन पानी साबुन बिना, निर्मल करे सुभाय॥

Transliteration

nindak niyare rākhiye, āṁgan kuṭī chavāy. bin pānī sābun binā, nirmal kare subhāy.

Translation

Keep your critic close — build them a hut in your courtyard. Without water or soap, they cleanse your character and nature.

Word by Word

निंदक critic, fault-finder

नियरे near, close

निर्मल pure, clean, spotless

सुभाय nature, temperament

माया मरी न मन मरा, मर-मर गए शरीर। आशा तृष्णा न मरी, कह गए दास कबीर॥

Transliteration

māyā marī na man marā, mar-mar gae śarīr. āśā tṛṣṇā na marī, kah gae dās kabīr.

Translation

Neither illusion died, nor did the mind — only bodies kept dying again and again. Kabir says: hope and craving never die.

Word by Word

माया illusion, worldly attachment

तृष्णा craving, insatiable desire

Introduction

The dohas of Kabir Das are an invaluable treasure of Indian literature and folk culture. These couplets, which present profound life philosophy in simple language, have been on the lips of the common people for centuries. In his dohas, Kabir conveyed messages of self-reflection, humility, truth, devotion, and practical wisdom. His words remain as relevant today as they were in his time. Here are his most famous and beloved couplets with meanings.